Baton Rouge News from Around the ParishNews from Around the ParishCategory-BR-Around-Parishhttp://brgov.com/around.asp
en-usCopyright 2006http://brgov.com/images/smGoldSeal.gifBaton Rouge News from Around the Parishhttp://brgov.com/around.asp8483Mon, 05 Dec 2016 00:00:00 CSTLast of Informational public meetings for Green Light Plan 2 planned this weekhttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2797
<p>Dec. 5, 2016</p><p>For release: IMMEDIATELY</p><p>For more information contact:</p><p>Stephen Bonnette, Department of Transportation and Drainage Director: (225) 389-3158</p><p>Susan Boudreaux, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-5101</p><p>Michelle McCalope, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-7957</p><p>Mayor-President Melvin L. “Kip” Holden has scheduled a series of nine public meetings in November and December to provide information and gather public input about the next phase of the Green Light Plan.</p><p>The proposal calls for a parish-wide, 5-mill property tax over 30 years to fund an estimated $452-million in road and street improvements. An estimated $260 million of the project funding would come from bond sales, with the other $192 million coming in the form of pay-as-you-go revenue.</p><p>The proposed Green Light Plan property tax would free up the existing half-cent sales tax for rehabilitation and community road enhancement projects that include neighborhood road overlays, advanced signalization, pedestrian and bicycle safety features and beautification.</p><p>The proposed property tax would allow the Green Light Plan to continue at the same pace as it has for its first 10 years, when a portion of the half-cent sales tax was used for road improvements.</p><p>The Mayor has scheduled the following nine public meetings with each council district in November and December to provide information about the proposed Green Light Plan 2 and funding for the next phase. The meetings will follow an “open house” setting that will include one-on-one discussions and feedback between the public and the staff.</p><p>Following the public meetings in August, the Metro Council approved a resolution for two measures to be added to the ballot in the December election for voter consideration:</p><p>(1)A new 5 mill property tax for 30 years for new road and street improvements</p><p>(2)Rededicate the existing ½ cent Green Light Plan sales tax (approved in 2005) to street rehabilitation and enhancement projects through its remaining term, ending in 2030.</p><p>DateTimeCouncil District/Location</p><p>Monday, December 55:30-6:30 p.m.Council Districts 12 & 3 </p><p>Bluebonnet Branch Library</p><p>9200 Bluebonnet Blvd.</p><p>Tuesday, December 65:30-6:30 p.m.Council Districts 6 & 7</p><p>Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center</p><p>4000 Gus Young Avenue </p><p>Thursday, December 85:30-6:30 p.m.Council District 2 </p><p>Scotlandville Branch Library</p><p>7373 Scenic Highway</p>Tue, 29 Nov 2016 00:00:00 CSTProgress Update: EBR debris removal final collectionhttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2796
<p>Nov. 29, 2016</p><p>For release: IMMEDIATELY</p><p>For more information, contact: </p><p>Adam Smith, Department of Environmental Services: (225) 389-4865</p><p>Susan Boudreaux, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-5101</p><p>Michelle McCalope, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-7957</p><p>City-Parish officials announced today that final flood debris collection pass efforts have now moved into 70770, 70802, 70805, and 70812, with final pass efforts now completed in 70819, 70722 and 70791. Additionally, debris removal crews continue to be active in 70808, 70810 and 70820 to collect flood debris on an as-needed basis. </p><p>With this latest progression, crews are either active or have completed final flood debris collection pass efforts in all flood-impacted areas in the City of Baton Rouge and unincorporated areas of East Baton Rouge Parish. Listed below are the ZIP codes where final collection pass efforts are either in progress or completed.</p><p>•Final flood debris collection pass in progress: 70811, 70814, 70815, 70770, 70802, 70805, 70812</p><p>•Final flood debris collection pass completed: 70714, 70739, 70816, 70817, 70819, 70791, 70722</p><p>City-Parish officials are urging residents who live in active ZIP codes to move flood debris curbside as soon as possible in order for crews to collect it during their final pass along flood-impacted areas and streets. Once flood debris has been placed curbside, residents should immediately report the location of this debris by going online to http://gis.brla.gov/reportdebris or by calling the EBR debris removal hotline at 1-888-721-4372.</p><p>As a reminder, construction and reconstruction waste materials are not eligible for FEMA reimbursement and thus will not be collected by City-Parish debris removal crews. The disposal of any such materials is the responsibility of the homeowner and/or contractor. Residents who are initiating new construction or reconstruction efforts should use licensed contractors to perform this work and secure in writing how the contractor plans to dispose of any construction or reconstruction materials. To locate a licensed contractor, residents can go online to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) website, www.lslbc.louisiana.gov, and click the “Contractor Search” button.</p><p>To track the progress of this final debris collection pass, visit http://gis.brla.gov/debris. ZIP codes are considered active when the collection crew is currently picking up debris in that area, inactive if the crew has not yet reached that area, and completed once the crew has finished its final pass.</p><p>#####</p>Wed, 23 Nov 2016 00:00:00 CSTHoliday Garbage Collection, Recycling Schedulehttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2794
<p>Nov. 23, 2016 </p><p>For release: IMMEDIATELY</p><p>For more information contact:</p><p>Susan Boudreaux, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-5101</p><p>Michelle McCalope, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-7957</p><p>Mayor-President Melvin L. Kip Holden announced today that the landfill is closed Nov. 24 so garbage will not be collected. Garbage collection will resume on Friday, Nov. 25. The landfill will be open normal hours from 5:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. </p><p>Also, recycling will not be collected on Thursday, Nov. 24. A make up day will be provided on Saturday, Nov. 26.</p><p> ####</p>Tue, 22 Nov 2016 00:00:00 CSTEBR debris removal final collection pass progress update -70811http://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2793
<p>For more information, contact: </p><p>Adam Smith, Department of Environmental Services: (225) 389-4865</p><p>Susan Boudreaux, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-5101</p><p>Michelle McCalope, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-7957</p><p>City-Parish officials announced this morning that final flood debris collection pass efforts have now moved into 70811. Listed below are the ZIP codes where final collection pass efforts are either in progress or complete.</p><p>•Final flood debris collection pass in progress: 70791, 70811, 70814, 70815, 70819 </p><p>•Final flood debris collection pass complete: 70714, 70739, 70816, 70817</p><p>In the coming days and weeks, debris removal crews will continue to move into impacted areas as final pass efforts progress throughout East Baton Rouge Parish. The following is the order in which final pass debris removal crews are moving into additional ZIP codes: 70722, 70770, 70802, 70812, and 70805. Additionally, crews will be active in 70808, 70810, and 70820 to collect flood debris on an as-needed basis.</p><p>City-Parish officials are urging residents who live in these ZIP codes to move flood debris curbside as soon as possible in order for crews to collect it during their final pass along flood-impacted areas and streets. This schedule and progression will continue until all streets in all flood-impacted service areas have received a final debris collection pass. Once flood debris has been placed curbside, residents should immediately report the location of this debris by going online to http://gis.brla.gov/reportdebris or by calling the EBR debris removal hotline at 1-888-721-4372.</p><p>As a reminder, construction and reconstruction waste materials are not eligible for FEMA reimbursement and thus will not be collected by City-Parish debris removal crews. The disposal of any such materials is the responsibility of the homeowner and/or contractor. Residents who are initiating new construction or reconstruction efforts should use licensed contractors to perform this work and secure in writing how the contractor plans to dispose of any construction or reconstruction materials. To locate a licensed contractor, residents can go online to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) website, www.lslbc.louisiana.gov, and click the “Contractor Search” button.</p><p>To track the progress of this final debris collection pass, visit http://gis.brla.gov/debris. ZIP codes are considered active when the collection crew is currently picking up debris in that area, inactive if the crew has not yet reached that area, and complete once the crew has finished its final pass.</p><p>#####</p>Thu, 17 Nov 2016 00:00:00 CSTEBR debris removal final collection pass progress update and schedule overviewhttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2790
<p>Nov. 17, 2016</p><p>For release: IMMEDIATELY</p><p>For more information, contact: </p><p>Adam Smith, Department of Environmental Services: (225) 389-4865</p><p>Susan Boudreaux, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-5101</p><p>Michelle McCalope, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-7957</p><p>This morning, City-Parish officials announced that final flood debris collection pass efforts have now moved into the 70814 and 70714 areas. Additionally, officials released a full progression schedule outlining the order in which final collection passes will be initiated in remaining ZIP codes impacted by the recent flooding.</p><p>Listed below are the ZIP codes where final collection pass efforts are either in progress or complete.</p><p>•Final flood debris collection pass currently in progress: 70815, 70816, 70819, 70814, 70714</p><p>•Final flood debris collection pass complete: 70817</p><p>In the coming days and weeks, debris removal crews will continue to move into impacted areas as final pass efforts progress throughout East Baton Rouge Parish. The following is the order in which final pass debris removal crews will move into additional ZIP codes: 70739, 70722, 70791, 70770, 70802, 70811, 70812, and 70805. Additionally, crews will soon be active in 70808, 70810, and 70820 to collect flood debris on an as-needed basis.</p><p>City-Parish officials are urging residents who live in these ZIP codes to move flood debris curbside as soon as possible in order for crews to collect it during their final pass along flood-impacted areas and streets. This schedule and progression will continue until all streets in all flood-impacted service areas have received a final debris collection pass. Once flood debris has been placed curbside, residents should immediately report the location of this debris by going online to http://gis.brla.gov/reportdebris or by calling the EBR debris removal hotline at 1-888-721-4372.</p><p>As a reminder, construction and reconstruction waste materials are not eligible for FEMA reimbursement and thus will not be collected by City-Parish debris removal crews. The disposal of any such materials is the responsibility of the homeowner and/or contractor. Residents who are initiating new construction or reconstruction efforts should use licensed contractors to perform this work and secure in writing how the contractor plans to dispose of any construction or reconstruction materials. To locate a licensed contractor, residents can go online to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) website, www.lslbc.louisiana.gov, and click the “Contractor Search” button.</p><p>To track the progress of this final debris collection pass, visit http://gis.brla.gov/debris. ZIP codes are considered active when the collection crew is currently picking up debris in that area, inactive if the crew has not yet reached that area, and complete once the crew has finished its final pass.</p><p>#####</p>Mon, 14 Nov 2016 00:00:00 CSTFinal flood debris collection pass progress updatehttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2787
<p>Nov. 14, 2016</p><p>For release: IMMEDIATELY</p><p>For more information, contact: </p><p>Adam Smith, Department of Environmental Services: (225) 389-4865</p><p>Susan Boudreaux, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-5101</p><p>Michelle McCalope, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-7957</p><p>City-Parish officials announced that final flood debris collection pass efforts have now moved into the 70819 area. Listed below are the ZIP codes where final collection pass efforts are either in progress or complete.</p><p>• Final flood debris collection pass currently in progress: 70815, 70816, 70819</p><p>• Final flood debris collection pass complete: 70817</p><p>Debris removal crews began their final pass efforts on Nov. 7, which involve the collection of all flood debris currently placed curbside across flood-affected ZIP codes in the City of Baton Rouge and unincorporated areas of East Baton Rouge Parish. Once crews conduct a final pass for flood debris collection through each street in each active ZIP code, they will not be returning. As these final pass efforts are completed within each ZIP code, additional ZIP codes will be activated for final collection passes. This progression will continue until all streets in all flood-impacted service areas have received a final debris collection pass. </p><p>As a reminder, construction and reconstruction waste materials are not eligible for FEMA reimbursement and thus will not be collected by City-Parish debris removal crews. The disposal of any such materials is the responsibility of the homeowner and/or contractor. Residents who are initiating new construction or reconstruction efforts should use licensed contractors to perform this work and secure in writing how the contractor plans to dispose of any construction or reconstruction materials. To locate a licensed contractor, residents can go online to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) website, www.lslbc.louisiana.gov, and click the “Contractor Search” button.</p><p>To track the progress of this final debris collection pass, visit http://gis.brla.gov/debris. ZIP codes are considered active when the collection crew is currently picking up debris in that area, inactive if the crew has not yet reached that area, and complete once the crew has finished its final pass. </p><p>#####</p>Wed, 09 Nov 2016 00:00:00 CSTFinal flood debris collection pass progress update: 70817, 70815, 70816http://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2785
<p>For more information, contact: </p><p>Adam Smith, Department of Environmental Services: (225) 389-4865</p><p>Susan Boudreaux, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-5101</p><p>Michelle McCalope, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-7957</p><p>This morning, City-Parish officials announced that final flood debris collection pass efforts are now underway in the 70815 area. Listed below are the ZIP codes where final collection pass efforts are either in progress or complete.</p><p>• Final flood debris collection pass currently in progress: 70817, 70815</p><p>• Final flood debris collection pass complete: N/A</p><p>Debris removal crews began their final pass efforts on Nov. 7, which involve the collection of all flood debris currently placed curbside across flood-affected ZIP codes in the City of Baton Rouge and unincorporated areas of East Baton Rouge Parish. Once crews conduct a final pass for flood debris collection through each street in each active ZIP code, they will not be returning. As these final pass efforts are completed within each ZIP code, additional ZIP codes will be activated for final collection passes. This progression will continue until all streets in all flood-impacted service areas have received a final debris collection pass. </p><p>As a reminder, construction and reconstruction waste materials are not eligible for FEMA reimbursement and thus will not be collected by City-Parish debris removal crews. The disposal of any such materials is the responsibility of the homeowner and/or contractor. Residents who are initiating new construction or reconstruction efforts should use licensed contractors to perform this work and secure in writing how the contractor plans to dispose of any construction or reconstruction materials. To locate a licensed contractor, residents can go online to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) website, www.lslbc.louisiana.gov, and click the “Contractor Search” button.</p><p>To track the progress of this final debris collection pass, visit http://gis.brla.gov/debris. ZIP codes are considered active when the collection crew is currently picking up debris in that area, inactive if the crew has not yet reached that area, and complete once the crew has finished its final pass. </p><p>#####</p>Fri, 04 Nov 2016 00:00:00 CSTFinal flood debris collection pass set to begin Monday, Nov. 7http://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2782
<p>For more information, contact: </p><p>Adam Smith, Department of Environmental Services: (225) 389-4865</p><p>Susan Boudreaux, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-5101</p><p>Michelle McCalope, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-7957</p><p>City-Parish officials announced this morning that flood debris removal efforts are moving into the final stages, with crews slated to begin their final flood debris collection pass on Monday, Nov. 7. Through these efforts, debris removal crews will make a final pass through all flood-affected ZIP codes in the City of Baton Rouge and unincorporated areas of East Baton Rouge Parish, beginning with 70817. Once crews conduct a final pass through each street in each active ZIP code, they will not be returning; therefore, residents with flood-related debris that should be collected must place it curbside no later than Sunday, Nov. 6 to guarantee collection. </p><p>As final pass efforts are completed within each ZIP code, additional ZIP codes will be activated for final collection passes. This progression will continue until all streets in all flood-impacted service areas have received a final debris collection pass. </p><p>The City-Parish recently established a web-based form for residents to use in reporting specific addresses where flood debris still needs to be collected, located at http://gis.brla.gov/reportdebris. Residents who have moved their debris curbside should report the location of their flood debris through Nov. 6 by using this form or calling 1-888-721-4372. Once a resident submits his or her address for debris collection, additional debris collection requests for the same residence do not need to be made. </p><p>As a reminder, construction and reconstruction waste materials are not eligible for FEMA reimbursement and thus will not be collected by City-Parish debris removal crews. The disposal of any such materials is the responsibility of the homeowner and/or contractor. Residents who are initiating new construction or reconstruction efforts should use licensed contractors to perform this work and secure in writing how the contractor plans to dispose of any construction or reconstruction materials. To locate a licensed contractor, residents can go online to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) website, www.lslbc.louisiana.gov, and click the “Contractor Search” button.</p><p>To track the progress of this final debris collection pass, visit http://gis.brla.gov/debris. ZIP codes are considered active when the collection crew is currently picking up debris in that area, inactive if the crew has not yet reached that area, and complete once the crew has finished its final pass. </p><p> #####</p>Mon, 31 Oct 2016 00:00:00 CSTMayor Holden announces 311 Citizen Requests for Service data now accessible to publichttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2777
<p>For more information, contact: </p><p>Eric Romero, Department of Information Services: (225) 389-3070</p><p>Susan Boudreaux, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-5101</p><p>Michelle McCalope, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-7957</p><p>As part of the City-Parish’s ongoing commitment to improve public sector digital innovation while fostering government transparency and civic engagement, Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden announced today the addition of the 311 Citizen Requests for Service data to the Open Data BR portal. The data is now easily accessible to the general public through the Mayor’s open data initiative.</p><p>The data features all citizen requests for service submitted through the City-Parish 311 Call Center, including requests submitted by phone as well as online via 311.brla.gov and through the Red Stick 311 mobile application.</p><p>“Our efforts to transform Baton Rouge into a leading digital city and hub for technology and innovation are directly tied to how we’re able to open up government for citizens to better understand how and why government operates; for technologists and developers to use in developing real-world, data-based applications; and for all our public sector agencies to utilize in making decisions on a daily basis,” said Mayor Holden. “When it comes to government, knowledge is power – and open data, freely accessible to the public, is knowledge. By moving our 311 data into an open data environment, we’re taking the next step in our efforts to create a more open and digital city while providing another data-based input that puts knowledge in the hands of our citizens.”</p><p>Within the 311 Citizen Requests for Service system, more than 100 individual “service request types” are used to capture, organize, and route each individual request for service or reported issue, which can range from tall grass and damaged traffic signs to trash on private property and missing garbage carts. Earlier this year, the Department of Information Services led an effort to streamline the manner in which these requests for service were captured and managed by public works staff, resulting in a much more efficient system for both routing and response purposes, including the launch of the Red Stick 311 web platform and mobile application. As such, this dataset only contains full service request records dating back to January 1, 2016. Moving forward, all citizen requests for service will be uploaded on a daily basis to this dataset within the Open Data BR web portal. </p><p>Launched in January 2015 and established as a model for how mid-sized communities can approach this concept of open data, Open Data BR serves as Baton Rouge’s official open data portal with a repository of nearly 100 public datasets, charts, filtered views, and more ranging from EBRP Tax Roll and animal control incident data to police and traffic incident data. For more information and to explore Open Data BR, visit http://data.brla.gov. </p><p> ####</p>Thu, 06 Oct 2016 00:00:00 CSTBaton Rouge awarded five Gold Medals for Healthy Initiativeshttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2764
<p>Oct. 6, 2016</p><p>For release: IMMEDIATELY</p><p>For more information, contact: </p><p>Andy Allen, Outreach Officer, (225) 389-3100 </p><p>Susan Boudreaux, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-5101</p><p>Michelle McCalope, Mayor’s Office: (225) 389-7957</p><p>Mayor-President Melvin L. “Kip” Holden announced that Baton Rouge was awarded five gold medals by the National League of Cities (NLC) for the completion of key health and wellness goals as part of the Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC) program. Mayor Holden worked with the NLC and First Lady Michelle Obama through his Healthy City Initiative while chair of the NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families to address childhood obesity and today’s announcement celebrates Baton Rouge achieving top status in each LMCTC goal area.</p><p>The LMCTC program is a major component of First Lady Michelle Obama’s comprehensive Let’s Move! initiative to ensure that kids can grow up healthy. LMCTC works closely with local elected officials nationwide to adopt policies that improve access to healthy affordable food and opportunities for physical activity for their constituents across five goal areas. </p><p>“We’ve long worked with the National League of Cities and the First Lady to promote healthier lifestyles and policies in Baton Rouge. These medals are another recognition of our commitment to our Mayor’s Healthy City Initiative’s vision of a healthier Baton Rouge for all,” said Mayor Holden. </p><p>In participating in the LMCTC program, Baton Rouge is part of a nationwide movement to support health and wellness. The Mayor’s Healthy City Initiative has been recognized by the American Hospital Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as a national example of an effective and innovative collaborative movement and with today’s medals, Baton Rouge has again been spotlighted for taking actions to improve access to healthy, affordable food and increase opportunities for physical activity.</p><p>In the LMCTC program, all participants have the opportunity to earn up to five gold medals, one for each actionable goal to which they commit to as part of the initiative. Medals are awarded to local elected officials based on their achievements in each of the following five goal areas:</p><p>•Goal I: Start Early, Start Smart: Promoting best practices for nutrition, physical activity, and screen time in early care and education settings.</p><p>•Goal II: My Plate, Your Place: Prominently displaying MyPlate in all municipal or county venues where food is served.</p><p>•Goal III: Smart Servings for Students: Expanding access to meal programs before, during and after the school day, and/or over summer months.</p><p>•Goal IV: Model Food Service: Implementing healthy and sustainable food service guidelines that are aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.</p><p>•Goal V: Active Kids at Play: Increasing opportunities for physical activity.</p><p>More than 500 cities, towns and counties are participating in LMCTC, and 80 million Americans are now living in LMCTC communities that are dedicated to helping young people eat healthy foods and be physically active. Each month, NLC recognizes local elected officials who achieve key benchmarks for the five LMCTC goals. Since July 2012, NLC has awarded 3,243 bronze, silver, and gold medals to recognize local elected officials across the country for their LMCTC progress. </p><p>For more information go to http://www.healthycommunitieshealthyfuture.org/places/#Baton+Rouge2CLA. </p>Tue, 20 Sep 2016 00:00:00 CSTRight of Entry for Debris Collection Formhttp://brgov.com/emergency/files/2016Flood/roe.pdf
<p>Right of Entry for Debris Collection Form</p>
<p><a href='http://brgov.com/emergency/files/2016Flood/roe.pdf'>http://brgov.com/emergency/files/2016Flood/roe.pdf</a></p>Wed, 14 Sep 2016 00:00:00 CSTEBR Stream Debris Surveyhttp://arcg.is/2cP62Pz
<p>EBR Stream Debris Survey</p>
<p><a href='http://arcg.is/2cP62Pz'>http://arcg.is/2cP62Pz</a></p>Wed, 07 Sep 2016 00:00:00 CSTSeptember 7th Debris Update Presentationhttp://brgov.com/emergency/files/2016flood/2016-sept-07-debris-update.pdf
<p>September 7th Debris Update Presentation</p>
<p><a href='http://brgov.com/emergency/files/2016flood/2016-sept-07-debris-update.pdf'>http://brgov.com/emergency/files/2016flood/2016-sept-07-debris-update.pdf</a></p>Fri, 08 Jul 2016 00:00:00 CSTLoop Capital Justice Center Studyhttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2747
<p>On behalf of Loop Capital Financial Consulting Services (“LCFCS” or “Loop Capital”), we are pleased to provide the final report on the Baton Rouge Justice Center Study. In December 2015, LCFCS was engaged to review current local processes that affect the jail population against national best practices in order to identify improvements that could expedite the classification and processing of individuals from their first encounter with law enforcement through the time they are released from custody. The goal of the engagement is to provide a report that assists policymakers in decisions about the size and scope of a new facility and that will provide a menu of options for more detailed implementation steps in each of the recommendations.</p>Mon, 07 Mar 2016 00:00:00 CSTMayor Holden Releases Locally Preferred Alternative for Proposed Streetcarhttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2714
<p>Environmental Assessment will Evaluate Route Alignment, Stops and Maintenance Sites</p><p>Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden said the City-Parish has identified a Locally Preferred Alternative for the TramLinkBR project. The Locally Preferred Alternative is based on the project team’s recommendations for a route alignment, streetcar stops and potential maintenance facility locations with input from the public and stakeholder groups the project team has been working with over the past few months.</p><p>ATTACHMENT:</p>Wed, 06 Jan 2016 00:00:00 CSTMayor's State of the City Address - 2016http://brgov.com/dept/mayor/pdf/2016-stateofthecity.pdf
<p>Mayor's State of the City Address - 2016</p>
<p><a href='http://brgov.com/dept/mayor/pdf/2016-stateofthecity.pdf'>http://brgov.com/dept/mayor/pdf/2016-stateofthecity.pdf</a></p>Fri, 18 Dec 2015 00:00:00 CSTMayor Holden, HUD Officials lead effort to end Veteran Homelessnesshttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2694
<p>Roundtable explores permanent Baton Rouge housing possibilities for Vets</p><p>The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the City of Baton Rouge co-hosted a Landlords Roundtable Discussion at the Louisiana Housing Corporation on December 4th, as part of the effort to end veteran homelessness in Baton Rouge. </p><p>ATTACHMENT:</p>Wed, 18 Nov 2015 00:00:00 CSTCOUNCILWOMAN SEEKS ESTABLISHMENT OF NORTH BATON ROUGE DEVELOPMENT DISTRICThttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2681
<p>Councilwoman Chauna Banks seeks to create a North Baton Rouge Development District modeled after the successful Downtown Development District. The Downtown Development District is funded by a special ad valorem (property) tax approved by the voters within the boundaries of the district, was authorized by State Statute LSA R.S. 33:2740.8.</p><p>“We all know the success of the David Rhorer and the DDD, I believe the creation of a NBR Development District is what is needed to drive the development of north Baton Rouge and be the catalyst for a prosperous, stimulating, innovative voice for this portion of the parish’, says Councilwoman Banks.</p><p> The Council doesn’t have the authority to authorize the creation of a special taxing district without State enabling legislation. Councilwoman Banks stated, “My first step in that process is to reach out to the legislatures representing north Baton Rouge and advocate for introduction of a bill to authorized the creation of such a district in north Baton Rouge.</p><p>Representative Regina Barrow authored ACT 98, which creates a new economic development district for the North Baton Rouge area, however, no funding was attached to the bill and it hasn’t proved to benefit the area in the capacity that is needed. </p><p>After decades of rapid real estate development, especially in south Baton Rouge, a major factor has emerged. “There’s just not a lot of available land,” says Brian Danton, a partner at Bruce Dantin Development. “And what is available is really expensive.”</p><p>Dantin shared his prediction as part of a panel of eight community leaders who recently sat down for an editorial roundtable discussion with 225 as part of the magazine’s 10th anniversary issue. </p><p>225 Publisher Julio Melara, Editor Jennifer Tormo and contributing writer Maggie Heyn Richardson recently met with Dantin and the others and asked them to predict what the next 10 years will look like for public education, food and entertainment, health care and more in Baton Rouge. </p><p>Councilwoman Banks sees this as an excellent opportunity for north Baton Rouge to create a sustainable development district to prepare for the inevitable shift. </p>Mon, 09 Nov 2015 00:00:00 CSTBaton Rouge Area Attracts 35 Film Projects in 2015http://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2677
<p>The Baton Rouge region attracted 35 film projects in 2015 that totaled more than $178 million in direct local spending. </p><p>The largest project to film in the BR region this year was MGM's The Magnificent Seven, a remake of the acclaimed western classic starring Chris Pratt and Denzel Washington. The production spent more than $75 million in the region over a span of six months, and is scheduled to be released in theatres around the world in September 2016. </p><p>ATTACHMENT:</p>Tue, 03 Nov 2015 00:00:00 CSTBaton Rouge named Top 10 Digital City in America by Center for Digital Governmenthttp://brgov.com/arounddet.asp?gid=2673
<p>Baton Rouge has been named a Top 10 Digital City by the Center for Digital Government, which annually names and acknowledges top-ranked digital cities across America based on the merits of local initiatives related to citizen engagement, policy, operations, and technology and data. </p><p>ATTACHMENT:</p>